Railroad-tie.



A. W. TONN.

RAILROAD TIE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1915.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Ms NORRIS Iz'rzns 60., FNOTD-LIYNQ, WAsHmcmN. n cy ALEXANDER W. TONN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN RAILROAD-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 191 '7.

Application filed March 9, 1915. Serial No. 13,164.

'b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER WV. TONN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee, State of Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Ties; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in railroad ties, and is particularly directed to that class of ties including end tie members formed of concrete or other material, and a metallic connecting portion.

The object of the present invention resides in the provision of a cheap and durable railway tie, and to this end it is more specifically the object to provide a tie comprising rail carrying bloc s and a connection for said blocks.

A further object resides in the provision of such a railroad tie wherein the parts comprising the tie and the means for securing a rail thereon are all fastened by the same connection, it being still further the object to provide such a tie wherein the various parts are mutually engaged to provide a strong, rigid structure.

l/Vith the above and other objects and advantages in View, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, formation and arrangements of parts, more fully hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out inthe appended claim.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved railroad tie embodying the present invention.

Fig; 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through one end of the tie, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one end portion of the member connecting the tie blocks.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the improved railroad tie comprises a pair of end blocks 5 formed of concrete or other desirable material, and a connecting plate 6 having its central portion reduced and twisted as at 7 to provide a light yet strong structure. To provide a seat for each of the rails 8 disposed transversely on the tie and at the same time to provide an interlockin engagement between the plate 6 and the lolocks 5, the tops of the blocks are provided with transverse grooves'9 and sections of the end portion of the plate are downwardly ofiset at 10 to seat in the grooves of the blocks, the rails seating on said offset portions 10.

Resilient clamping means for holding these rails in position comprise plates 11 disposed on the plates 6 at the sides of the rails and provided with bowed portions 12 engaging the base flanges of the rails and permitting a limited vertical movement thereof. Bolts 13 are provided and are embedded in the blocks 5, and have their upper ends projected through the plates 11, after which nuts 13 are threaded thereon.

Thus by means of these bolts 13 the various parts of the tie are secured together and at the same time said bolts serve to secure the rails on the tie. By providing the offsets 10 on the connecting plates 6, seating in the grooves 9 of the blocks, considerable strain is taken from the bolts 13, and the rails are held in such manner that even should the holding plates 11 become broken, the rails will be held against spreading. From the foregoing it is. thus observed that a very simple railroad tie has been provided which will efiiciently perform all of the functions normally required thereof.

hat is claimed is.

A railway tie comprising end blocks having transverse grooves in their upper surfaces, a connecting plate having downwardly directed off-sets seated in the grooves, rail portions terminating at and engaging the hzrse flanges of the rails.

In testimony whereof, I zlilix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER V. TONN. lVitnesses H. S. FREIHUBE, 151mm]; TONN.

holding plates disposed on the opposite sides 01 the rails engaged in the off-sets, means for attaching the plates to the blocks, said plates being formed at their inner ends With upwardly bowed resilient portions adapted to engage under the trends of the rails and permit of a limited vertical movement thereof, the inner ends of the bowed Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

